Week Eight
'Happiness is based on a just discrimination of what is
necessary, what is neither necessary nor destructive, and what is destructive'
That's a very powerful quote I took from this week's class in which we read Ursula Le Guin's short story, Omelas. Ursula Le Guin is a well known-though previously unknown to me- American anthropologist and writer. Her speciality was science fiction, and she was renowned for breaking new ground with her ontological writing.
This story, Omelas, is really powerful . It depicts the world of the inhabitants of an idyllic seaside town full of happiness and fulfillment. This fulfillment however, is hinged on the shared knowledge of a child who must suffer indefinitely for the town. This child knew happiness, but is now locked away underground, given sparse food and left to rot. Every member of the town must visit the child, and those who do are horrified, but mostly go on to enjoy their lives and put the child out of their minds. This child, even if set free would not be able to know happiness, or appreciate the world above as it has known too much suffering. But among the visitors, there are those who cannot return to Omelas. For these, the knowledge of the child makes continuing on with their lives unbearable, and they leave to travel to unknown destinations, no idea where they are going or what they will be met with.
The question of whether we would leave or stay in Omelas has been put to us, and I must say I'd like to say I'd leave. I'd like to say I would be filled with enough virtue to propel me away from this town. But to me Omelas is not an unknown place, in fact it's much the same as the world I live in now. To me, Le Guin has depicted our capitalist, first world lives, has reduced the size but actually flipped the ratio. Full of tradition, entertainment, and beauty we exist with the knowledge that millions, if not billions of lives are negatively affected by the way we live, and all for a small proportion of us to be happy. As a vegan, I am even more aware of the conditions the child in this story encounters, as they are akin to the conditions faced by trillions of animals around the world at this moment for our pleasure. Our entire society is based on suffering-the products of suffering becoming a means for the top ten percent to enjoy as much of as possible.
So although I like to think I do my bit, by not eating meat or buying new clothing, and although I give a few euro every once in a while as a 'charitable donation' I am acutely aware of the very privileged path that has led me to even typing this blog post. It is knowledge like this that instills in me a will to create change, big or small. At the moment I am trying to do what I can to help and in the future I hope I will not have to leave Omelas, but instead can create an Omelas that is better for everyone. After all, true happiness must come with a clear conscience!
I know this is a bit of a heavy read for this week, but I encourage anyone reading to take a look at the story. Le Guin has created something that powerfully highlights the conflicting factors that exist in our society.
As always, thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this post.
All the best,
Coldtoesies
That's a very powerful quote I took from this week's class in which we read Ursula Le Guin's short story, Omelas. Ursula Le Guin is a well known-though previously unknown to me- American anthropologist and writer. Her speciality was science fiction, and she was renowned for breaking new ground with her ontological writing.
Ursula Le Guin
The question of whether we would leave or stay in Omelas has been put to us, and I must say I'd like to say I'd leave. I'd like to say I would be filled with enough virtue to propel me away from this town. But to me Omelas is not an unknown place, in fact it's much the same as the world I live in now. To me, Le Guin has depicted our capitalist, first world lives, has reduced the size but actually flipped the ratio. Full of tradition, entertainment, and beauty we exist with the knowledge that millions, if not billions of lives are negatively affected by the way we live, and all for a small proportion of us to be happy. As a vegan, I am even more aware of the conditions the child in this story encounters, as they are akin to the conditions faced by trillions of animals around the world at this moment for our pleasure. Our entire society is based on suffering-the products of suffering becoming a means for the top ten percent to enjoy as much of as possible.
So although I like to think I do my bit, by not eating meat or buying new clothing, and although I give a few euro every once in a while as a 'charitable donation' I am acutely aware of the very privileged path that has led me to even typing this blog post. It is knowledge like this that instills in me a will to create change, big or small. At the moment I am trying to do what I can to help and in the future I hope I will not have to leave Omelas, but instead can create an Omelas that is better for everyone. After all, true happiness must come with a clear conscience!
I know this is a bit of a heavy read for this week, but I encourage anyone reading to take a look at the story. Le Guin has created something that powerfully highlights the conflicting factors that exist in our society.
As always, thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this post.
All the best,
Coldtoesies
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